Rail-joint.



PATENTED JAN. 30

J. W. TRACY.

RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

sluocufoz f/lfl agy No. 811,261. PATBNTED JAN. 30, 1906, J. W. TRACY.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. TRACY, OF NASH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOHN M. FITZGERALD, OF ROCKYMOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA.

RAID-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed May 8, 1905. Serial No- 259,899.

To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be known that I, JOHN W. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residingin the county of Nash and State of North Carolina,

accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showingrails mounted upon ties, the joint means involving the invention beingapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the railsand joint-chair. Fig. 3 is a horizon tal sectional view taken about onthe line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of therail-chair alone. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partially broken away,of the end portion of a rail, showing the cutaway portion thereof. Fig.6 is a detail perspec tive view of one of the wedge members utilized forclamping the rail ends in the chair. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the keydevice utilized to actuate or spread the wedges in the chair.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

In carrying out this invention the rails 1 are of the ordinary T form atpresent in use, and said rails are mounted upon the ties 2 in thecustomary manner. The end portions of the rails are united by means of ajoint comprising this invention, which consists, essentially, of: achair adapted to receive the ends of the rails and composed of a base 3and spaced wings 4 and 5, projecting upwardly from the base. When therails are disposed in the chair, the wing 5, which is broad and heavy,is in. contact throughout its length with the web portion of eachrail 1. at one side thereof. The wing 4, however, is spaced throughoutits length from the webs of the rails, and the space between the wing 4and said rails converges toward the opposite extremities of the chair,as shown at 6, from a point about intermediate the extremities of thewing 4, above mentioned-in other words, the wing 5 affords a solidbearing for the web portion of each rail upon one side, whereas theother wing, 4, is spaced. from the web portions upon the opposite sides.The space between the wing 4, which converges toward oppositeextremities of the chair, is adapted to receive oppositely-opcratingwedges, which are preferably of like formation, said wedges 7 beingadapted to be separated by suitable actuating means, so as to be forcedtoward the extremities of the chair to be clamped hard against theadjacent side of the web portions of each rail 1, so as to firmly holdsaid rail with a solid bearing in the chair which receives said rails.The wing 5 is of a sufficient hei ht to engage with the ball or head ofthe rail ends at the ends of the rails 1, said wing forming a bearingupon the under side of the head portions at one side of the rails,

" the wedges 7, however, which operate upon the opposite side of therails form a bearing rigidly bracing the head portions, sai d wedgesengaging beneath the head portions in a manner similar to that describedwith reference to the member 5. The base portions of the chair for therails are formed with flanges 8, opposite flanges being notched, asshown at 9, to receive spikes, which when driven into the ties of theroad-bed will firmly position the chair upon said ties.

The wings 4 and 5 of the chair are formed with a transverse opening 10,through which a bolt or key 11 is adapted to be passed, said bolt or keyhaving a head 12 at one extremity and being provided with threads at theopposite extremity to receive a nut 13. The key 11 tapers toward thethreaded extremity thereof and is adapted to pass between. theextremities of the railsl, the. latter having notches or cut-awayportions 14 to permit the key to afford a space between the rail ends,through which the key may pass. The member 11, when forced through theopenings 10 of the wings 4 and 5, will engage with the largerextremities of the wedges 7, so as to positively, because of the taperedconstruction of the member 11, force said wedges apart, causing them tomove farther into the converged spaces at the ends of the chair.Necessarily the wedges will be caused to clamp more firmly against theadjacent side of the rail ends at the web, and when the key 11 has beenforced through the wings 4 and 5, as above mentioned, and a nut 13screwed thereon to hold the same tightly in place. the wedges 7 willhave been separated, so as to firmly hold the rails 1 in place in thechair, therefore obviating all looseness or play of the rails in amanner readily apparent. Since the rails are not directly secured to thechair, it Will be noted that said rails are permitted to have a certainamount of movement in expanding and contracting, this being necessary,as will be apparent to those versed in this art.

It will be understood that the number of wedges 7 is immaterial, and twoor more of the same may be utilized under certain conditions of serviceand by certain variation in the structure of the chair embodying thewings 4 and 5. The nut 13 upon the key or member 11 is prevented fromdisplacement by means of a cotter-pin 15, which may pass through theopening transversely in the threaded end of the member 11. Extendinglongitudinally from the ends of the chair are angle extensions 16,'oneintegral with each wing at opposite ends, said angle extensions 16virtually forming angle-bars adaptedto bear against the opposite sidesof the rails in a manner obvious. The outer extremities of the anglemembers 16 are notched at the basal portions, as shown at 17, so thatspikes driven into the ties adjacent the tie upon which the rail-chairis disposed will effectively hold the angle bars or extensions againstthe sides of the rails, said rails having an extended bearing at thejoint, the joint means thus being carried upon three ties instead ofone. The extensions 16 are of course spaced from each other.

In actual use in assembling the parts of the rail-joint the rail-chairis first placed in position upon the ties and may be properly securedthereto. The wedges 7 are then disposed in the space between theopposing wings 4 and 5, and the larger ends of the wedges may be broughttogether, so as to give sufficient space between the same and the wing 5to freely admit of disposing the ends of the rails 1 in the spacebetween said wedges 7 and the wing 5. The rails 1 are of courseintroduced in the chair by longitudinal or endwise movement thereof intoopposite ends of said chair, and after the rails have been properlyplaced in position the member 11 is forced into engagement with thewedges 7 and simultaneously separates these wedges to cause the same torigidly engage the side of the rails adjacent.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Incombination with the meeting ends of rails, joint means thereforincluding a wing at one side of the rails in spaced relation thereto,and spaced oppositely movable wedges arranged between the wing and therail ends for firmly holding the rails in position.

2. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a oint thereforincluding a wing at a side of the rails in spaced relation thereto,oppositely operating wedges between the wing and the rails, and meansfor imparting simultaneous longitudinal movement to said wedges.

3. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforincluding a wing at a side of the rails in spaced relation thereto,oppositely-operating Wedges between the wing and the rails, and a memberarranged transversely of the Wedges for simultaneous actuation thereof.

4. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforincluding a Wing at a side of the rails in spaced relation thereto,oppositely-operating wedges between the wing and the rails, and atapered key movable be tween the wedges for separating the same.

5. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforcomprising a chair, spaced wings carried by the chair and arranged uponopposite sides of the rails at the ends, oppositely-operating wedgesbetween a wing of the chair and the adjacent rail ends, and meansbetween said wedges for imparting simultaneous longitudinal movementthereto.

6. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforcomprising a chair, spaced wings carried by the chair and arranged uponopposite sides of the rails at the ends, the space between the wing ofthe chair and the adjacent rails being convergent from a point betweenthe ends of the chair toward the opposite extremities of the chair, andoppositely-movable wedges arranged for movement in the space between theaforesaid wing and the rails.

7. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforcomprising a chair, spaced wings carried by the chair and arranged uponopposite sides of the rails at the ends, the space between the wing ofthe chair and the adjacent rails being convergent from a point betweenthe ends of the chair toward the opposite extremities of the chair,oppositely-movable wedges arranged for movement in the space between theaforesaid wing and the rails, and a key passing between the rail endsfor spreading the wedges simultaneously.

8. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a oint thereforcomprising a chair, spaced wings carried by the chair and arranged uponopposite sides of the rails at the ends, the space between the wing ofthe chair and the adjacent rails being convergent from a point betweenthe ends of the chair toward the opposite extremities of the chair,oppositely-movable wedges arranged for movement in the space between theaforesaid wing and the rails, and a key passing between the rail endsfor spreading the wedges simultaneously, the rail ends having notched orcutawaynportions through which the key passes.

5 9. Incombination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint thereforcomprising a chair, spaced wings carried by the chair and ar ranged uponopposite sides of the rails at the ends, the space between the wing ofthe chair 10 and the adjacent rails being convergent from a pointbetween the ends of the chair toward the opposite extremities of thechair, oppositely-movable wedges arranged for movement in the spacebetween the aforesaid wing 15 and the rails, a key passing between therail ends for spreading the wedges simultaneously, the rail ends havingnotched or cutaway portions throngh which the key passes, and a nutthreaded upon the key for prevent- 2o ing displacement thereof.

10. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint-chairtherefor embodying a,

base and spaced wings carried by the base,

wedges operating between a wing and the rails, and angle extensionsprojecting from 25 the wings at the ends of the chair.

11. In combination with the meeting ends of rails, a joint-chairtherefor embodying a base and spaced wings carried by the base,

wedges operating between a wing and the 0 rails, angle extensionsprojecting from the wings at the ends of the chair, a key passingthrough the wings of the chair and movable between the wedges foractuating the latter,

and means for preventing displacement of 3 5 said key.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. TRACY. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

R. L. HUFFINEs, ROLAND JENKINS.

